


Of the Black

by SkeletonHellflame



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dudley is called David in this fic after he decided to be called by his second name, Female Harry Potter, Gen, Good Dudley Dursley, Good Petunia Dursley, Harry is a Black, Harry is not a Potter, I am not a writer but I try, I believe they are from darkseraphina, I realised that Bloodtooth could be considered an OC of mine, I use wix and wixen as gender neutral words, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, more tags to be added as the story progresses, neither am I a native English speaker, this delights me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-11-03
Packaged: 2020-07-23 20:51:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20014621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkeletonHellflame/pseuds/SkeletonHellflame
Summary: Petunia finds a child on her doorstep one cold morning in November, she chooses to raise the child as her own.However, once the accidental magic becomes too much for even her to handle, he makes the painful decision to see if there are any magical relatives willing to raise her niece.Updates will be sporadic with no clear schedule.





	1. Gringotts

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea what possessed me to attempt writing a HP fanfic, but here we are and I hope someone might enjoy it. :')  
> I might come back and fix some things that I feel are stilted or lacking.

Petunia Dursley, née Evans, finds a child on her doorstep accompanied by an inadequate blanket - in the beginning of _November_ \- and a paltry letter, explaining to her of her sister’s death and that she now was responsible for the child on her lap.  
A beautiful golden blonde little girl with incredibly green eyes.

Allison Potter, is the girl’s name.

Deep down, however, Petunia _knows_ there’s something _wrong_ with that. She has no proof of anything else, but what she _knows_ is that the letter tried to make her behave in a way she does not accept.

 _Compulsions_. Deplorable and she couldn’t help but sneer.

She decides to raise the little girl as her own and, when she’s ready, she will explain it all to her. However, magic will never be anything that is hidden from her.  
There will be no form of abuse under _her_ roof and makes it perfectly clear to her husband who initially showed reluctance to care for someone else’s child.

Petunia can be a force to be reckoned with, when she puts her mind into it and Vernon found that out the hard way when it was directed against himself.  
A woman may _act_ demure, but that meant nothing. She does it to make others underestimate them and it makes it easier for them to overpower others when it is needed.

She teaches this to _both_ her children; act kind, harmless and lure them into a false sense of security in their supposed superiority and no one will expect it when they inevitably overthrow them.

  


Allison starts showing accidental magic when she is three years old, it is harmless at first and easy to explain away should someone unaware of the magical world see it.

It happens quite rarely, her magic having little reason to manifest itself when she so rarely truly needs it.

She grows up happy and loved, receiving gifts on Christmas and her birthday every year. She never gets anything less, in number or worth, than her cousin.

  


The problems, however, begins when she and her cousin are five.  
Children can be cruel and some make excuses for their children saying “boys will be boys” or “children will be children”, never truly trying to reign their children in when they do something unkind to another child. It’s a belief that Petunia never subscribed to.

Allison’s magic starts becoming... _agitated_ , it’s the only way Petunia can describe it. Cracks appear, objects shake, windows rattle.  
Petunia knows that she can’t make the old excuses and she knows that she is not equipped to deal with it, no matter how _little_ she wishes to part with her niece.

She makes the decision to visit Diagon Alley and, more specifically, Gringotts. She is certain that they will be able to help her determine whether or not Allison has any magical relatives alive. It is highly suspicious that Petunia would be her only living relative.

She knows of the war waged in the Wixen world, she remembers the little Lily had told her of it but she still refuses to believe that there aren’t _any_ others willing to care for Allison.

Which leads to where they are now.

  
Petunia held both children’s hands in each of her own and knew that most would believe both to be biologically hers; what with both children being blonde like herself, despite the differing shades.  
“Pardon me, but could you open the gate for us?” she politely asked the barkeeper.

“Of course, ma’am!” the man replied jovially. “Follow me.”

The three followed him to a small, walled courtyard where the man tapped the bricks to open the gate to the largest Magical area in the UK and stepped aside.

“Thank you, sir,” Petunia said politely.

“No need to sir me, ma’am, and it was a pleasure,” the man replied before he returned to the bar and allowed the mother and her children enter the Alley without any questions.  
He was accustomed to help those who couldn’t enter the Alley without aid, no matter the reason and had learned early on not to ask any unnecessary questions.

Both Allison and David looked around in awe and desperately wished that they had more eyes to look around with, there were so much to see; shops, people, restaurants and anything else they couldn’t see or categorise.  
Petunia, however, had her sights set on the white marble building she could see in the distance. Mindful of the two children with her, she still walked slow enough to allow them to look around and promising them that they would be allowed to look around more once they had dealt with some important business.

Nearing the bank, Petunia decided to educate the children;  
“Gringotts is run by beings called Goblins and they are responsible for everything stored in their vaults, it is thus wise to be respectful of them. Wixen and Goblins have fought each other many times, but still most seem to have not learnt anything from them. Some Wixen believe themselves to be superior and Goblins to be mere beasts who aren’t worthy of any respect.”

“That’s stupid,” Allison piped up.

“Yeah,” David agreed with a firm nod.

“Good,” Petunia smiled warmly at them both. “Remember, no matter how demeaning a Goblin may act toward you, it is because of having dealt with so many disrespectful people on a daily basis. Always be polite in return no matter what.”

“Yes, Aunt Petunia / Yes, Mum,” the two chorused.

The three thus approached the bank again and nodded politely to the two Goblins standing guard outside; one of whom raised an eyebrow as his only sign of surprise, the other was far more in control of themself and merely nodded back.

Petunia allowed the children to read the inscription on the doors.  


_Enter, stranger, but take heed_

_Of what awaits the sin of greed_

_For those who take, but do not earn,_

_Must pay most dearly in their turn._

_So if you seek beneath our floors_

_A treasure that was never yours,_

_Thief, you have been warned, beware_

_Of finding more than treasure there._

  
Allison and David nodded after glancing at each other; it was for the best to respect the Goblins and avoid antagonising them. They may only be five, but both did understand the threat implied, especially after Petunia’s earlier warning.  
Of course, neither could truly imagine, no matter their wild imaginations, what the Goblins would do to those who dared steal from them.

Inside the building, Petunia led them to one of the shortest lines in front of the tellers and resigned herself to wait for their turn; unlike some Wix who loudly complained about having to wait.

“Stupid wix,” Allison muttered and started when the Goblin teller, Gornuk, snorted.  
She hadn’t meant to speak loud enough to be heard, she flushed bright red. Fortunately it seemed that only the Goblin, as well as Petunia and David, had heard her.

“If you only knew, little one,” Gornuk replied low enough to not be overheard by others. He turned his gaze to Petunia. “How may Gringotts help you?”  
While he didn’t _sound_ particularly nice, Allison was _sure_ that his tone was slightly softer than when he spoke with the Wix that had been before them. Especially when he had replied to her… unfortunate comment.

“My niece has begun displaying stronger accidental magic and I am unsure how to deal with it, since we live in the Muggle world,” Petunia began. “I wished to know if she has any Magical relatives more equipped to deal with it, as much as it pains me.”

Gornuk raised an eyebrow. This was… odd. He was certain that there was something _off_ with all of this, there was no reason that a Magical child would be placed among Muggles. Everyone knew that the majority of Wixen families were related in one way or another and most would be willing to care for an orphaned relative.  
“Were her parents Wix?”

“Yes, her mother, my sister, was Muggleborn and as far as I understood, her father was Pureblood.”

Gornuk’s eyes narrowed. “Wait a moment,” he said before he turned to the side and barked something in the Goblins native tongue.  
Another Goblin arrived and they had a quick conversation, before the newcomer nodded.  
“Follow Griphook, he will take you to Bloodtooth who will help you shed some light on this matter.”

“Thank you for your help, Master Gornuk,” Petunia said with a nod, having noted the nameplate in front of the Goblin.  
Gornuk, on his part, seemed almost pleased by the address and nodded ever so slightly in acknowledgement.

With that, the three followed Griphook deeper into the Bank, where the intricate marble floors and walls morphed into darker stone walls no less detailed.  
Allison and David let out sounds of amazement when they spotted detailed carvings of Goblin wars and battles from the past. They would have easily stopped to admire and explore them all, hadn’t Petunia gently pulled them along.

Soon enough, too soon according to the children, they reached a set of high double doors with Bloodtooth’s name inscribed in both Goblin and Latin alphabets.  
Griphook knocked and after receiving an invitation to enter, he opened one of the doors and ushered the humans inside before entering himself.

Bloodtooth was an old Goblin who sported an impressive scar over one of his eyes that had blinded him and he had an expression as though he was permanently angry at the world at large. Despite that, his remaining eye seemed to soften ever so slightly when he saw the two children.  
He turned to Griphook only when the other had approached him and started to explain the visit of the humans and of Gornuk’s suspicions - spoken in their own language to avoid the humans to understand.

He nodded in confirmation and dismissed Griphook, before he motioned for the humans to sit down. The children were still small enough to share one of the chairs.  
“How much do you know of your niece?” he asked.

Petunia bit her lip and dug out a letter out of her purse.  
“She came to me when she was 15 months old, wrapped in a blanket and with this letter from Dumbledore,” she raised the letter in questions, “on the 2nd of November. I found her on my doorstep in the morning with no idea how long she had waited there.”  
She paused when Bloodtooth looked enraged at this information, after a deep breath he motioned for her to continue.

“This letter informed me of my sister’s death, that I should take care of my niece and that her name is Allison Potter. I… I feel that there’s something wrong with that last information. Not only that, I believe that there are some compulsions on the letter.”

“Place it on the desk,” Bloodtooth said gruffly, or rather ordered. Once the letter was on his desk, he waved a hand over it and let out a low growl. “I sense old compulsions on it, meant to take hold once the recipient opens it.”

“As I feared then,” Petunia whispered.

Bloodtooth decided to leave that for later and decided to get on with the actual reason why the humans were before him.  
“Now, why do you believe that Allison Potter is not her name?”

“I’m not certain, but there’s something in me that says that it is wrong. Is there a way to confirm it?”

“Yes, through a blood test.”

“How does it work?”

“The one doing the test will have to make a small cut on one of their fingers and let three drops of blood fall on a previously prepared parchment. This shows their name, age and birth parents. Five drops of blood, on the other hand, shows more relations as well as titles, vaults and various other inheritances.”

Petunia nodded, with a glance at Allison who nodded reassuringly at her.  
“How much does it cost?”

“10 Galleons for the minor test, 15 for the major.”

“The major test, please.”

Bloodtooth nodded and opened a drawer, from which he picked out a parchment and a ritual knife and placed them on the desk.  
“If miss Potter would cut her finger and let five drops fall on the parchment. Be careful, the knife is sharp.”

“Yes, sir,” Allison said softly as she hopped down from the chair she had shared with her cousin. After a glance at Petunia for reassurance, she took a deep breath and carefully picked the knife up and put it against her right hand index finger. She gasped when it easily cut through her skin and marveled that it didn’t hurt as much as she had thought.

She counted the drops with her tongue between her teeth. Once done, she put her finger in her mouth and carefully cleaned off the knife against her sleeve, before placing it back on the desk.  
After an approving nod from the Goblin, she smiled and returned to the chair.

Bloodtooth watched as text spread across the parchment in silence with the humans. Once certain that it was finished, he carefully lifted the parchment to read.


	2. Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been fighting me tooth and nail. After having struggled to get it to my satisfaction for a month now, I've decided to give up and post it.  
> Here's to hoping that the next chapter will cooperate better.
> 
> (Fixed a minor thing, in case anyone gets a new notification of this chapter.)

_Bloodtooth watched as text spread across the parchment in silence with the humans. Once certain that it was finished, he carefully lifted the parchment to read._

~ * ~

Bloodtooth nodded as though he had expected the result before his eyes and he could tell that the humans were curious what it said.  
“She is not a Potter,” he announced as he put down the parchment and turned it around for Petunia to read.

**_Full name: Alcyone Amarantha Black_ **

**_Date of Birth: July 31st, 1980_ **

**_Blood status: Half-blood (Pureblood father, half-blood mother)_ **

**_Mother: Lily Marigold Black, née Evans (deceased)_ **

**_Father: Sirius Orion Black_ **

**_…_ **

Petunia sat back with a blank expression as she stared at the opposite wall for several moments.  
That was why “Allison Potter” had felt so wrong, she had known deep down that Lily hadn’t married that horrid Potter boy and now she had _proof_ of it and not just a _feeling_.

“Living relatives?” she asked after a while, still staring at the wall.

“Sixteen on her father’s side.”

Petunia’s expression morphed into a glare.  
“Then _why_ send her to _me_ ?” she asked. “A mere _Muggle_ who doesn’t know how to deal with accidental magic?”

“Dumbledore couldn’t have the _Girl-Who-Lived_ be a part of a _Dark_ family,” Bloodtooth sneered darkly. “Neither could he have her be raised in a nurturing home, according to these old compulsions.” He tapped the letter with a claw.

Petunia frowned and finally turned her gaze to the Goblin.  
“What do you mean? What is this Girl-Who-Lived nonsense? And what do you mean, not raised in a nurturing home?”

“The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black is a notorious Dark aligned family who would never dance to Dumbledore’s tune. My diagnose of the compulsions on the letter showed that he intended for miss Black to be raised in an arguably abusive household, possibly to later swoop in as her saviour once she starts at Hogwarts.”

“So that she will depend on him and do as he wishes without question…” Petunia whispered, horrified by this revelation. She couldn’t understand what the purpose of that was. ”But to what end?”

Bloodtooth nodded in confirmation.  
“This… _Girl-Who-Lived_ title,” he sneered, “was gained when she supposedly defeated the Dark Lord Voldemort, most likely a lie spread by Dumbledore himself.”

“She was fifteen months old!” Petunia was outraged. “It’s impossible for her to have done _anything_ to defeat this Dark Lord!”

Allison, no, _Alcyone_ and David looked terrified by what they were hearing. Neither could imagine how it would be possible to hate each other, nor could they imagine Petunia behaving in an aggressive manner against Alcyone. They had only known love and anything else seemed inconceivable.  
They hugged to comfort the other and tried to hide their distress at the horrible thought.

“Miss Black is also the only one known to have survived the Killing Curse, as well as the only one who has survived being hunted by the Dark Lord personally. This speaks of powerful, and most likely dark and illegal, protections having been placed on the girl or - more likely - in her nursery where she and her mother were reportedly found.”

Bloodtooth’s theory sounded far more logical than Dumbledore’s, whose theory was asinine at best.   
Petunia could picture her sister doing her level best to protect her child and knew she would have done the same if she had magic and had been in her place.

“But why was he after them?”

“No one knows for sure, all we know is that _something_ prompted the Dark Lord’s sudden hunt for miss Black when he has never previously purposely harmed children to anyone’s knowledge and has been known to try and spare them if possible. It is said that he didn’t allow his followers to purposely harm children either.

“It is possible Dumbledore knows the reason for the sudden change in regards to miss Black, as he is known to have helped the Blacks hide. Or the Potters, as he later claimed to the public.”

Petunia frowned. The Dark Lord had never harmed children or _allowed_ any harm to befall children, but suddenly went after a one year old. There was something amiss and it bothered her, they all missed a vital piece in the puzzle.  
This… was all too much to fully process, likewise was the Wixen world’s sheer _stupidity_. Believing that a _toddler_ defeated a powerful Dark Lord, it was _absurd_.  
No one could claim that Wixen were particularly logical.

She sighed and shook her head lightly.  
“Leaving that to be processed later, who is Allie’s closest living relative?”

“Her father, Heir Sirius Black.”

All three humans stared at Bloodtooth. If Alcyone’s _father_ was still alive, then why wasn’t she living with him? What on Earth was going on in the Wixen world?  
Petunia’s eyes returned to the parchment and noticed the lack of ‘(deceased)’ after his name.

“He was thrown into Azkaban two days after the Dark Lord was vanquished. He is said to have sided with the Dark Lord and for having murdered twelve Muggles and one Wizard, by the name of Peter Pettigrew. They say he betrayed the Potters.”

Petunia closed her eyes briefly, praying to any form of higher power for strength.  
“Trial?”

“Uncertain, we have no records of it. In addition, they found a _single finger_ of Pettigrew and decided that it meant that he had died in the explosion.”

Petunia tried to wrap her mind around that information and found that the Wixen world sounded more idiotic by the minute. A _finger_ could not equal _death_. Of course, a lack of body didn’t necessarily mean that no murder had taken place but it was difficult to prove. _Two days_ certainly weren’t enough to prove it.

“The Wixen world is stupid,” Alcyone muttered sullenly, before suddenly looking up at Bloodtooth with hope in her eyes. “Do I have grandparents?”

“Yes, Orion and Walburga Black,” Bloodtooth said almost gently, glad to ignore the stupidity of Wixen in favour of this.

“Is it possible to contact them?” Petunia inquired.

“Yes, the Bank will send them an owl and hopefully they will be prompt in their response.”  
With those words Bloodtooth reached over and pressed something, to Petunia and the children it looked like some form of a crystal or jewel that glowed faintly at his touch.  
Soon a new Goblin entered the office, clearly it was some way of contacting others within the Bank.

“Contact Orion and Walburga Black and tell them that it is of high importance that they arrive here,” Bloodtooth ordered. “Once they do, they are to be immediately taken to my office. Contact Lord Black as well. Once done, check if Heir Black ever received a trial.”

“It will be done,” the Goblin answered before he rushed back out from the office.

Bloodtooth turned to Petunia as he laced his fingers together in front of himself on the desk.  
“While we wait, I wish to bring something up,” he started. “You called yourself a Muggle, yet miss Black’s inheritance test called your sister a Half-blood.”

Petunia blinked.

And glanced down at the parchment that was back on Bloodtooth’s desk. There, clear as day, it did say;

**_Blood status: Half-blood (Pureblood father, half-blood mother)_ **

**_Mother: Lily Marigold Black, née Evans_ **

“W-what?” she finally stammered. “I’m… I’m a… Squib? How?”

“According to this test, there are two Squibs who married into the Evans family in recent history. One of whom was your grandmother.”

Alcyone and David looked wide-eyed between the adults, before looking at each other. Ever so slowly did it start to dawn on them what it could mean and they whipped their heads around to look at Bloodtooth again.

“Does this mean can have magic too?” David asked in awe.

“Children start displaying accidental magic at different ages, generally between the age of five and eight. With rare cases where the child displays it earlier or later due to various reasons.” Bloodtooth paused before adding;  
“Contrary to popular belief, Squibs _do_ have magic although it is weak and they lack the necessary pathways to able to use and expand it.”

Petunia felt… she wasn’t sure what she felt at this revelation and wondered if her father had been aware that he most likely had been a Squib too, if he knew that _his_ mother had been one. It could have been one reason for his exuberance when it turned out that Lily was a witch.  
“What differentiates a Squib from a Muggle?” she finally asked.

“A Muggle has no magic at all, though some might carry a _potential_ for an offspring to become what is known as a Muggleborn. It is believed they are descendants of Squibs,” Bloodtooth explained. “A Squib does, as mentioned, have magic but lack the necessary pathways. They can see through Muggle-repelling wards much thanks to this, hence why you should be able to see the Leaky Cauldron, Hogwarts and other establishments under these wards. You will also see certain magical beings that are normally invisible to Muggles, Dementors among them.”

Petunia shuddered, she remembered the stories Lily had told her of Dementors and their powers. She wasn’t certain if it was positive or negative to be able to see them, especially since she wouldn’t be able to defend herself from them.  
A small mercy was that they remained on the small island that housed Azkaban Prison.

“Incidentally, a Squib can pursue a career in Potions should they wish,” Bloodtooth decided to add. “It does not involve the use of magic, apart from a select few potions.”

Alcyone had been nearly vibrating in her seat next to David for a while now and finally blurted;  
“When will they be here?” She immediately flushed bright red when the Goblin’s gaze settled on her. She ducked her head and mumbled an apology for the interruption.

Bloodtooth merely chuckled. “It should not be long now, your grandparents live in London. It should not take the owl long to reach them and for them to come here.”

As though to prove his point, the doors suddenly opened to let inside an older couple; the man had shoulder length wavy black hair that had started to grey at the temples and the woman had long light golden blonde hair, mostly gathered in a fancy updo, that likewise had begun to grey.  
It was clear, judging by their robes, that they were very well off.

The woman started to sneer when she spotted the Muggle dressed woman, but stopped abruptly when she glanced at the two children with her. Both of whom were staring wide-eyed at them.  
Especially the girl had her stop in her tracks. Golden blonde hair like her own and facial features that were so _achingly_ familiar, despite her unfamiliar green eyes.

She barely registered her husband having come to the same conclusion as herself, before she turned her attention to the Goblin to demand an explanation if she had to. Fortunately she did not, he nodded shortly in confirmation of her unasked question.

“Alcyone?” she asked, still barely daring to hope as she turned back to the young girl.

The girl nodded as she slid down from her seat.  
“Are you my grandparents?” she ever so carefully asked, there was so much _hope_ behind those words. The fact that they knew her name should have been indication enough, but she _needed_ the confirmation.

“Yes, we are,” answered Orion gently.

Alcyone nearly vibrated with how much she tried to hold herself from launching at them, a resolve that broke when her grandmother knelt down with her arms wide - inviting the young child to a hug.  
Even Orion joined them, deciding that Pureblood protocol didn’t matter in a situation like this. Both he and Walburga had waited a long time to meet their only grandchild.

Orion was the first to rise back up.  
“Let us be seated and get the full story,” he suggested and helped his wife up as she reluctantly let go of Alcyone.

Bloodtooth waved a negligent hand and conjured up two new chairs for the newcomers to sit on.  
Orion took one seat, while Walburga took the other and gently pulled Alcyone up on her lap. She was clearly very reluctant of letting go of her granddaughter any time soon and Alcyone seemed content to be near her grandparents.

“Now, we wish to know why Alcyone weren’t taken directly to us,” Orion more or less demanded.

“Dumbledore,” Petunia answered, “thought it prudent to bring her to me in the middle of the night with only a blanket and a letter covered in compulsions.”

Orion and Walburga were suitably outraged by the revelation, neither knew how to respond to that. The headmaster had _no right_ to decide where a child would go, especially a child he had no familial relation with.

“One of these compulsions, also the only one mrs Dursley couldn’t shake, made her believe that the girl’s name was _Allison Potter_ ,” Bloodtooth sneered.

“You are telling us, that our granddaughter is the famed _Girl-Who-Lived_?” Orion asked, his dislike for the title was clearly heard in his voice. Neither he nor his wife had put much stock in the title given to the poor child who was said to have vanquished the Dark Lord, nor did they believe in the story the public had been told. It was a suspicious tale with not enough evidence to truly support it.

“What did the other compulsions entail?” Walburga decided to ask.

Bloodtooth’s expression darkened.  
“That your granddaughter were to be treated poorly,” he answered. “We believe that the headmaster intended to be a saviour once she would begin at Hogwarts. What his motives for this is, we don’t yet know.”

Orion hissed in anger.  
“ _That man_ ,” he managed to get past his tightly clenched teeth and had to visibly take deep breaths to get some semblance of control back. “If there is _any way_ to take that man down, I want you to do it. I will rest easy once he is either dead or rotting in Azkaban.”

“We wish to see him utterly ruined,” Walburga added, her own rage tightly controlled. She had no desire to scare the worried child on her lap.

Bloodtooth smiled a decidedly cruel smile. “Gringotts will gladly be of aid.”

  
  


The door opened once more, this time a tad more forcefully.


	3. Lord Black

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this chapter decided to roundhouse kick me in the head and I've spent most of the day writing it on and off. I believe I'm sufficiently satisfied with it to upload it now, rather than to wait.

_ The door opened once more, this time a tad more forcefully. _

~*~

An elderly man with silvery hair and stormy grey eyes entered. He was clearly irritated.  
“What is the meaning of this summons, master Goblin?” he demanded. “It—“  
Whatever he had been about to say went unknown as he stopped when he saw the young girl sitting on his daughter-in-law’s lap. He nearly forgot to breathe.

“Is it—?” he asked. Normally he would never allow himself to lose his composure in such manner, but this was an exception if there was any.

“Alcyone, meet your great grandfather Arcturus,” Orion said to his grandchild in lieu of an answer.

Arcturus seemed torn between holding his arms out to invite the girl to a hug or to try and regain some of his composure, in the end the previous won out.  
“Come, my dear child,” he said softly as he knelt down and Alcyone immediately slipped down from her grandmother’s lap and ran up to her great-grandfather to hug him.

Suddenly having gained three new family members and knowing that there were others out there, was a surreal feeling for the young girl. It didn’t stop her from being determined to embrace them all if they allowed her, her aunt had been very clear on having other people’s consent to do anything.

Arcturus reluctantly released the child and kissed her on the top of her head, before he straightened up again with the aid of his cane. He visibly gathered his composure, before leading Alcyone back to the others and sat down next to his son on a recently conjured chair.  
Alcyone shyly returned to her grandmother and was immediately, to her delight, lifted back up.

Petunia couldn’t help but smile at the sight, it did much for her heart to see that her niece’s paternal family to be so welcoming of the girl. So much so, that they were willing to drop all pretenses and indulge themselves in showing emotions.  
She had been made aware of some Pureblood customs from her sister, one of them the need to always appear composed and not show much emotions in public. She had the vague recollection that it had something to do with not showing weaknesses that others could exploit, not that she truly understood everything about it.

Suddenly she remembered why she had decided to come to Gringotts in the first place, other than finding Wixen relatives to her niece.  
“Is it common for Wix children to have accidental magic that seems… agitated?” she asked, it wasn’t directed to anyone in particular.

“Primarily only if the child is being poorly treated and the magic wishes to help them,” Arcturus answered, before narrowing his eyes at the Muggle dressed woman.

“But Aunt Petunia treats me well,” Alcyone said with a slight pout, as though aware of her great-grandfather’s thoughts. “Uncle Vernon too.”  
With those words said, the three older Blacks shared looks with each other and Bloodtooth.

The Goblin bared his teeth and growled lowly. He knew what they were thinking and was angered that there could possibly be another crime committed against the child by someone who had no rights to her.  
He immediately touched the same crystal as before, this time a differently dressed Goblin entered and they were clearly a female.

“Yes?” she said, or rather demanded. Instead of receiving an answer in English as she had been prepared for, Bloodtooth spoke in their own language.  
It became clear to her as to why, he had been reluctant to worry the child in question with the suspicions he and the adult Wixen had.

“Miss Black will have to follow me,” she said, before belatedly adding; “I am Healer Gugnuk.”

“It would be wise if someone accompanied her,” Walburga said. “I would suggest Petunia, as she knows her best.”

Petunia glanced at her son, reluctant to leave him with strangers.

“Your son can also come,” Gugnuk replied to the unasked question. “Now, follow me.”  
With those words, she spun around and clearly expected immediate obedience, leaving the humans in question to scramble after them.

Petunia glanced back and saw Bloodtooth holding out Alcyone’s blood test to the Blacks, before the doors closed behind them. She realised with a start that she hadn’t yet read through it in its entirety. She had been distracted by the revelation of her niece’s name and who her father was, then by everything else that had come to light.

  
Arcturus allowed Orion and Walburga to read through the test first, as they were the child’s grandparents. He watched their microexpressions closely and saw shock and surprise, forcing him to keep his curiosity in check.

It felt like an age before he was allowed to read it himself, having refused to read over his son’s shoulder. One of the first things he reacted to, was the title of  _ Girl-Who-Lived _ .  
“How can she be this… Girl-Who-Lived?” he didn’t bother to hide his distaste, unknowingly mimicking his son’s earlier reaction. “The supposed Allison Potter is said to have red hair and blue eyes.”

Orion stilled. He hadn’t reacted to it when he had learned of his granddaughter’s supposed status as the Vanquisher of the Dark Lord. How was this possible? The girl clearly had Walburga’s light golden blonde hair and her mother’s green eyes.

“She does have the scar, however,” Walburga pointed out, she had seen in while the girl had been sitting on her lap.

“The… lightning bolt shape?” Arcturus inquired.

They had all heard the description of the girl’s appearance and they had all seen the children’s books that had started appearing only a couple of years ago, the supposed ‘Adventures of Allison Potter’. They all sported pictures of a girl with the lightning bolt scar, red hair and blue eyes.

“Or the wand motion for the Killing Curse.”

Had they been anything less than they were, they would have shifted uneasily. Knowing that their grandchild or great-grandchild being hit by and being the first and only to have survived a curse that was said to be unblockable, was discomfiting.  
Knowing that the Dark Lord, who refused to put children in harm’s way, had tried to kill her was… worrisome to say the least. Much like Petunia, they knew they were missing something and it bothered them.

Orion cleared his throat. “Sirius would probably be able to shed some light on that,” he said.

“Are you certain that he would be willing?” Walburga asked stiffly, she wasn’t sure what to think of the notion that her son had betrayed his own wife and daughter to the Dark Lord. Effectively sentencing them and his best friend to death.

“We have Goblins checking whether or not Heir Black ever received a trial,” Bloodtooth interjected.

This time it was Arcturus’ time to still. “Are you telling us, that my Heir may have been thrown into the worst prison on these Isles while possibly innocent?” he asked deceptively carefully. He did his best not to allow his anger to take the upper hand and he had to forcibly relax his hands to avoid ripping the parchment he still held to shreds.

“Yes,” Bloodtooth answered, “the bank has received no documents regarding any trial. We are uncertain if this is due to the chaos after the Dark Lord’s demise or if it is a sign of foul play.”

As he spoke, the doors opened once more. Letting in another Goblin.  
“It is a sign of foul play,” she said, waving a file. “There was no trial for Heir Black.”

Arcturus immediately stood up and deposited the blood test on Bloodtooth’s desk. “Who authorised it?” he demanded, every ounce the Lord that he was.

The female Goblin walked closer and held out the file for him to take, it was about his Heir and grandson after all. “This should answer all your questions,” she replied.

Arcturus flipped the file open and Orion and Walburga immediately flanked him, wanting to know as well without having to wait for their turn. They needn't have done it.  
“Bartemius Crouch and Albus Dumbledore,” he hissed in barely suppressed rage, “are henceforth known enemies of House Black.”

Bloodtooth and the female Goblin’s grins were decidedly bloodthirsty. Everyone knew that you did not cross a Black without them retaliating, and they retaliated harshly.  
Lords Crouch and Dumbledore had clearly believed that they would get away with it, but fortunately the worries of a Squib would help bringing them down.

“You will have Gringotts’ support,” Bloodtooth grinned.

“The Bank will of course receive recompense for their aid,” Arcturus responded softly as he reigned his rage in for the future. “We will ruin Crouch and Dumbledore, as well as anyone in league with them.”  
He closed the file, motioned his son and his wife back to their seats before he sat back down. “We will begin discussing their fate at a different date, for now we are here for Alcyone.”

With that said, the female Goblin nodded at them and exited the office once more. Her work was done for the time being, she would gladly give her aid later on when it was time to start taking down the Headmaster and former Head Auror.

Arcturus grabbed Alcyone’s blood test once more, giving attention to something he had noticed earlier. “Alcyone is an Heiress to the Slytherin line.”

“Through her mother,” Bloodtooth said. “Lily Evans Black’s great-great-grandmother was Menodora Gaunt, born a Squib and cast out into the Muggle world, but never disowned.”

Arcturus sneered. “The Gaunts were likely unable to perform the necessary ritual and to pay for the legal actions.”

“I’m surprised they didn’t kill her,” Orion mused.

“Most likely they believed the Muggles would do the job for them,” Walburga sneered.

“What should we do when Lord Slytherin returns and discovers his Heir?” Orion asked his father. They all knew that it wasn’t a matter of  _ if _ , rather a  _ when  _ and refused to pretend otherwise.

“We will question him why he was after her and if he can give me a satisfactory answer, he may be allowed to train her to someday become Lady Slytherin,” Arcturus answered. “Provided that he even needs an Heir. If he cannot provide a satisfactory answer, he shall be declared our enemy.”  
It was an open secret that Lord Slytherin had done _something_ to ensure his immortality, but no one knew exactly what. There were suspicions, of course, but nothing that had been confirmed.

Walburga and Orion nodded in agreement. The only reason any of them were willing to let the man explain himself, was because they knew the man’s cause and knew that he normally did not go after children.

“How will we proceed in regards to Sirius’ lack of trial?” Walburga asked, clearly she had been waiting for it.

“I will speak with Head Auror Bones,” Arcturus answered. “She may be Light, but she is willing to do what is right. With her aid, we shall be able to get a trial for him and hopefully persecute the one truly responsible for the crimes he stands accused of.”  
He did no longer believe his grandson to be guilty of any of his supposed crimes.

The door opened yet again, letting Petunia and the children back inside. An exhausted Alcyone was carried by her aunt and Orion immediately got up to relieve her of her burden, it wasn’t easy to carry a five-year-old and certainly not for Petunia who had never possessed much physical strength.  
Young David was gazing at his cousin with visible worry, it hadn’t been fun watching her and knowing that he could do nothing to help her. He had clung to his mother and she to him through the whole ordeal.

Healer Gugnuk followed them with a stormy expression.  
“I sincerely hope that you have plans to ruin that old goat, or I will _personally_ do it,” she growled as she threw the test results on Bloodtooth’s desk, glaring at the older Blacks. “My Healer’s Oath be damned.”

“Worry not, we will,” Arcturus answered calmly. “Now, will you share your results or shall we read them?”

Gugnuk breathed heavily for a few moments, before she shook her head. “I am afraid that I will only anger myself further if I did. That man is a foul creature for doing those things to a mere  _ child  _ and for no discernible reason.”  
She was working herself up to a rant and she knew it, electing to fall silent and attempt to calm herself down.

She waved for them to read her report, fully expecting them to have a similar reaction to her own.

Arcturus hesitantly reached out to take it and began to read.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've begun a different fic with a young Tom Riddle and a MoD!Harry, it has short chapters and I'm debating whether to keep it to myself or to upload it as well. It has three chapters as we speak.


	4. Shocking News

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter chapter than the others, it didn't cooperate with me in the slightest so I left it as it is.  
> I pulled the chapter title out of my arse.
> 
> Next chapter will feature a small jump in time, not more than a couple of months.

_Arcturus hesitantly reached out to take it and began to read._

~*~

_A magical block._

A _magical block_ had been placed on his great-granddaughter. A block that somehow had begun to crack ever so slightly on its own, hence the girl’s _agitated_ magic.

On top of that, there were traces of old compulsions weaved onto her. It was impossible to discern what exactly they were meant to do, but Arcturus was certain that it hadn’t been of any positive reason.

Of course, there were those who displayed such strong accidental magic that they had to have a weak block placed on them lest they harm themselves or those around them, a block that would gradually dissolve with time. _This_ block, however, was nothing of the sort. It was meant to hold back a certain percentage of her magic and not meant to dissolve on its own, it had to be taken off. Preferably before the child reached their magical majority, _more_ preferably before beginning their education.

Arcturus forced himself to take deep breaths before he could continue reading the report.

Satisfied that he wouldn’t start raging, he begun to read again. Only to still again, and didn’t care that he blatantly showed his utter shock. “ _A horcrux_?”

Orion immediately snatched the report out of his father’s slackened hands and searched for the offending word, vowing that he would read the whole report properly once he was certain that his father had read correctly.

His grip on the dozing Alcyone tightened enough for her to make sounds of discontent, prompting him to lighten his grip. “She’s a horcrux?” he whispered as he passed the report over to his wife.

“Yes,” Gugnuk confirmed through clenched teeth.

Arcturus seemed to snap out of his shock and levelled a stare at the two Goblins present. “Is there a way to remove it without harm to her?” he demanded.

Petunia startled. She had no idea what a horcrux was, but deducted that it was nothing good and was worried that it would cause her niece harm. The Blacks’ reactions were not reassuring.

“With how long she has already had it, it will take extensive research to find out,” Bloodtooth answered carefully.

Petunia almost dreaded to ask, but she had to know. “How do you normally remove a… horcrux?” She was hesitant in her pronunciation of the word.

“By destroying its container,” Orion answered as he closed his eyes. He had only just been reunited with his grandchild and now there was a chance he would lose her again?

Petunia gasped in horror. No. Alli— Alcyone was not going to die, she was not. Her niece was all she had left of her sister and she _did not_ want to lose her as well.

”I dread to ask, but what exactly is a horcrux?” she asked carefully, needing to have all the information that the others seemed to already have.

Orion and Walburga both glanced over at Arcturus, silently asking him to be the one to tell her.

Arcturus took a deep breath. “A horcrux is a piece of a person’s soul encased in an object,” he said. “Alcyone is, quite possibly, the first human horcrux in _known_ history.”

Petunia stared with abject horror. _A piece of a soul_? Someone had stuck _their own soul_ in a young child? Someone had managed to _cut up_ their own immortal soul? She did not wish to know what kind of deed and magic needed for such an… abominable act.  
The fact that the Blacks seemed unsettled by horcruxes only worsened it, she could recall some things Lily had told her about some of the old Wix families and the Blacks’ dark reputation was one of them. A horcrux was bad news and even that felt like a severe understatement.

Walburga suddenly grabbed Orion’s arm, carefully not to jostle the dozing Alcyone, looking almost terrified. “What… what if Dumbledore’s entire plan centres on Alcyone being a horcrux?” she hesitantly asked. “What if he plans on hunting down the other horcuxes and in the end, have Alcyone sacrifice herself for his _Greater Good_?”

All of the adult humans present stared at her and the Goblins bared their teeth.

“I will not allow that to happen,” Arcturus hissed through clenched teeth. “We will find a way to remove the horcrux from Alcyone and thwart that old man’s plans.”

“What should we do regarding the Dark Lord’s other horcrux or… horcruxes,” Orion inquired. He barely managed to entertain the thought that the Dark Lord had managed to create _several_ horcruxes. One was bad enough, but to create enough to make your soul fragile enough to _accidentally_ creating one was beyond worse. He dreaded to think of how many there had to be.

Arcturus remained silent for several moments, before he chose to speak. “We try to locate them and hide them, we may need them for leverage later.” There was a chance that the Dark Lord would become a threat to them and Blacks always did their best to eliminate all threats against themselves as quickly as possible. “If he insists on being a threat regardless, we will destroy them and render him immortal.”

Orion and Walburga nodded in agreement.

“How will you find them?” Petunia asked carefully. “They must be hidden after all.”

“There are rituals that may be of aid,” Arcturus answered evasively.

Petunia nodded. She understood enough to guess that said rituals were obscure and very much illegal and she decided that she didn’t wish to know more than that. She would leave it up to the Blacks to do it, magic and rituals were, after all, not among her skills.

“Will I remain informed regarding the progress of… all of this?” she inquired.

Walburga and Orion both glanced at Arcturus, him being the Lord of the House had the final say in many things.  
“Of course,” he replied. “You have cared for Alcyone for the past four years and deserve to remain a part of her life, even though she will henceforth live among us Blacks. That includes hearing directly from us of anything pertaining to her.”

Petunia sighed in relief.

“I would hate to interrupt, but I believe it is time to cut this meeting short,” Bloodtooth interrupted. “Young Alcyone has fallen asleep and young David is not faring any better.”

“Alcyone needs rest after the cleansing ritual, preferably in a real bed and not on her grandfather’s lap,” Gugnuk decided to add ruefully.

The Purebloods appeared amused and nodded in acquiescence.

“Very well, let us reconvene in a week’s time,” Arcturus said as he rose up from his chair, smoothing down his robes. “It should give us all ample time to digest all we have learned here today and time for Alcyone to start acclimating to living with her grandparents.”  
He helped his son rise up and carefully readjust Alcyone, none of them had the heart to attempt waking her up.

“I will visit your home later today,” Walburga spoke to Petunia. “To collect Alcyone’s belongings, though I suggest leaving her room as it is for her future visits.”

Petunia nodded tearfully, thankful that the Wixen weren’t going to forbid Alcyone from visiting overnight whenever possible. “Of course,” she replied. “We live on No. 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey.”

“Then I shall see you there in a few hours,” Walburga said kindly as she and the other Black began moving toward the doors.

“I would suggest buying robes before you depart from Diagon,” Arcturus said. “It would raise less questions in the future when you visit and fewer will look down upon you and your family.”

“Buying books and studying on Wix customs is advisable,” Orion added.

“Give her the necessary funds for this from the Black Vaults,” Arcturus suddenly ordered the Goblins before they exited the room.

Petunia was left gobsmacked by this final announcement and hadn’t gotten the chance to protest their generosity.

“I would advice taking their offer,” Bloodtooth smirked. “I have already called Bodrak, the Black family manager, to arrive here.”

“Oh,” was all Petunia could utter as she slumped down on the chair again. She chose to assume that this was the Blacks’ was of thanking her for looking after Alcyone the past few years.

It didn’t take long for Bodrak to arrive, procure a pouch that was filled with Galleons, Sickles and Knuts from the Black Vault and they were gently ushered out of the Bank. David holding her hand tightly, as though afraid of losing her.  
She suddenly realised that it felt as empty without Alcyone for him as it did for her, she had raised both children together as siblings rather than cousins.

Gauging David’s exhaustion to be mild enough to take him to Madam Malkins for measurements, and have her send the finished robes to their home rather than wait for them, then paid a quick trip to Flourish & Blotts for the books.  
She would most likely need to return to the Alley with Vernon someday and have him fitted for robes as well, it wouldn’t do to have him left out.

Finally, they were on their way back home.


End file.
